WORKING WITH FIXNATION

Make your appointment using the link at right! Reservations are required. Once scheduled, you’ll receive a reminder call and/or email the day before your appointment to confirm.

TRAPPING AND HOLDING YOUR CATS

• Obtain a HUMANE trap. Whether you have your own, or are borrowing from FixNation, be sure to use only humane, non-collapsible traps.
• Choose a holding area. Choose an area where the cat will be safe in its trap overnight. It should be warm, dry, well-ventilated, and secure.
• Safety first! Follow the trapping instructions provided in your trap-training session with FixNation. Never attempt to handle a feral cat. Don’t stick fingers in the trap or allow children or other pets near the trap.
• Keep the cat covered and calm. Placing a trap cover (provided with all traps from FixNation), blanket, or an old towel over the trap will allow the cat to remain quiet and feel more comfortable.
• Food & water. Water should always be made available and is okay throughout the night. Feed as follows:
• Monitor, monitor, monitor! – Don’t place trapped cat(s) in your holding area and forget about them! Check in throughout the night and again in the morning. Peek under the trap cover. Feral cats may growl, spit, hiss or lunge at you when you look at them. Don’t take it personally!

ARRIVING AT THE CLINIC

• Transport safely. Never transport cats in an open-bed truck or closed, unventilated car trunk.
• Arrive on time! Between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m. There is a $25 late fee!
• Check-in process. Leave your cat(s) in the car until you’ve filled out check-in paperwork. Please check-in with a FixNation staffer who will explain the admission form for each cat you have trapped.

For Community Cats

• Do not open the trap.
• Keep the trap covered at all times.
• Recuperate in a climate-controlled/moderate environment.
• No excessive heat or cold – if you are uncomfortable, they are too.
• Monitor the cat every hour while in your care, until you go to bed.
• The morning after surgery day, release the cat(s) where trapped, unless otherwise directed.

Normal Recovery Behavior

Less activity, lethargy, slightly wobbly and/or light panting. You may see slight bleeding from eartip. A bump about the size of an almond may appear at the incision site on female cats; if there is no discharge, it may be a normal suture reaction that will go down on its own.

Abnormal Recovery Behavior

Continued bleeding or discharge from the surgery site, vomiting, dilated eyes, continued wobbliness, fast breathing and shivering the next morning. If you see any of these, do not release the cat – consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Additional Notes

• No suture/stitch removal required, unless specifically advised.
• Feed 1/4 can wet food 6 hours post-op (check surgery time on pink sheet provided by clinic).
• Normal appetite should return within 24 hours of surgery.
• If a friendly community cat is licking or chewing at the incision area, you will need to get an e-collar immediately and keep it on 24 hours a day for 7-10 days.

For Companion Cats

• No running, jumping, playing or strenuous activity for 7-10 days.
• Keep your cat as calm and quiet as possible.
• It is best to keep your cat separated from other pets for 3-5 days.
• Monitor your cat and check the incision at least twice per day.

Normal Recovery Behavior

Less activity, lethargy, slightly wobbly, and/or light panting. A bump about the size of an almond may appear at the incision site on female cats; if there is no discharge, it may be a normal suture reaction that will go down on its own.

Abnormal Recovery Behavior

Continued bleeding or discharge from the surgery site, vomiting, dilated eyes, continued wobbliness, fast breathing and shivering the next morning. If you see any of these, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Post-surgery emergency contact info

If you have concerns about a cat that is slow to recover or is having complications, call FixNation at (818) 524-2287, Wednesday-Saturday, 7am-5pm. After hours, call (818) 516-2287 to leave a detailed voicemail with your phone number and also email info@fixnation.org with a detailed message that includes your phone number. FixNation will treat at our clinic any post-op complications resulting directly from the surgery, if all the above protocols have been followed. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of the surgery. FixNation is not responsible for veterinary services or fees incurred at outside clinics.